This invention relates to an artificial, flower-like article which stores scent emitting substances that may be released, when desired, to provide a fragrance in the vicinity of the article.
Artificial flowers normally comprise plastic or paper material formed into the shape of a floral type stem upon which are attached leaves, buds, berries, flower petals and the like. Conventionally, a number of generally similar artificial flowers are held together in a bunch to present a floral display.
In the past, attempts have been made to provide artificial flowers with a means for emitting a fragrance, such as a flower-like fragrance or other types of desirable fragrances. Thus, various types of containers having fragrance producing substances have been associated with artificial flowers. One example is a gelatin-type capsule or bubble within which a liquid, scent emitting substance is packaged so that upon release of the substance, a scent or fragrance is emitted. Such an example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,916 issued to Levy on Jan. 19, 1971 for an "Artificial Flower including A Pieceable Casing Containing a Scent-Producing Substance". In this disclosure, a scent producing substance is contained within a ball shaped, gelatine casing having a thin wall which may be pierced to release the substance. The ball is intended to be mounted within a cup-like socket formed within the central portion of an artificial flower.
Examples of other prior flower-like, scent emitting articles are illustrated and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,720,881 to Brewster issued Jul. 16, 1929, U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,890 to Gould issued Jul. 10, 1968, U.S. Pat. No. 2,141,402 to Muller issued Dec. 27, 1938, U.S. Pat. No. 2,507,899 to Gilowitz issued May 16, 1950; U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,991 to Kim issued Jan. 21, 1975; U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,851 to Von Loringhoven issued Nov. 24, 1987 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,981 to Levy issued Apr. 24, 1990. An example of a plant-like article, in the form of a pine cone, containing a scent emitting substance is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,991 to Susewitz issued Oct. 17, 1972.
In the prior types of scent emitting flower-type articles, the scent emitting and containing portion of the article either was made for a relatively short time, single use, or are refillable for longer uses. That is, the single use type once operated to release the scent is no longer useful thereafter. The refillable type may have a scent material constantly fed to a scent emitting means. The scent material can be periodically refilled. Where the scent emitting means is a single use type, the floral display containing such scent emitting means has a limited life with respect to producing a fragrance. On the other hand, where the scent emitting means includes refilling a liquid or solid scent producing substance, attention must be given to the device from time to time to refill the container holding the substance.
Thus, it would be desirable to have a floral-type display article which can be used over a long period of time to provide a scent or fragrance whenever desired and for as long as desired within a pre-determined long time limit. The invention herein relates to a floral type of article, in the form of artificial buds or berries or the like which can be manually activated and can be selectively used over a considerable period of time to provide a desirable fragrance when desired either for a short period of time or for a longer period of time.